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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23920537">The Roll of the Dice</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iamfandomtrash162/pseuds/Iamfandomtrash162'>Iamfandomtrash162</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Voltron: Legendary Defender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Crushes, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:42:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,396</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23920537</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iamfandomtrash162/pseuds/Iamfandomtrash162</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Thunder was always alone, working his way through the ranks, levelling up and gaining skill to defeat opponents. Then things changed when he met a disappearing cocky thief.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Keith/Lance (Voltron)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>62</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Roll of the Dice</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>With permission from the Rolling20 Zine, I can now share this piece with everyone. This was fun writing Tunderpike for the first time and I hope you enjoy it!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The light gleamed through the rich green leaves that coated the trees, the breeze calmly threading through the branches as the rustling sound echoed in the air. Thunder stood a few feet away from a tree with a knife held loosely in his palm, his long raven hair tied up into a messy ponytail.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He raised his arm, his eyes narrowing down at the tree, a sketchy target scratched out on the thick brown trunk. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Breath in. Aim. Throw.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The knife whipped through the air, slamming down into the hardwood, adding to the collection of indents around the centre of the target.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Thunder has been here for hours, improving on his skills, practising his aim. He’s already mastered lockpicking a while ago, sneaking into homes to find loose coins back when he didn’t have much and his combat skills were harnessed quickly as a means of survival in his line of work, developing his strategic thinking and cunning style of fighting as he ran into more and more trouble. Even so, certain skills such as his knife-play could be refined further.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It's been only a few days since his last quest, earning himself enough gold to sustain him for a while. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Thus, he trained.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He was walking up to the tree to grab his dagger when he noticed a shadow that wasn’t his along the ground. Thunder paused in his place, his hand slipped behind his back to reach for his second knife in the leather holder. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>From the shadow, Thunder could guess the figure was around his height or just a bit taller, but it was hard to tell when they were crouching. They had pointed ears that poked out on his head and a cape that draped down under him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The figure moved along the thick tree branch, their shadow growing longer as they approached him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Thunder gripped the leather bounding of his knife handle. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Nothing like a bit of target practice.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Thunder thought to himself, taking a deep breath in before turning around, throwing the knife at the figure. Not a second later the figure disappeared in a puff of smoke, Thunder’s furrowing his brow as he stared at the now-empty branch.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, that wasn’t very nice.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Thunder turned his head, trying to find the source of the voice. He scanned the tree branches, his eyes falling down to the forest ground around it. Nothing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Over here, sweetheart,” the figure taunted, Thunder, grumbling as he turned around.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There, only a few feet away stood a lean guy with pointed ears, his cape tied around his neck, just above his vest. In his hand he was holding Thunder’s knife, dangling out in front of him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Who the hell are you?” Thunder grunted, his fingers hovering at the side sleeves on his thigh, trying to reach for another dagger.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh I wouldn’t bother trying to find those little things,” the figure smirked, holding out a bag. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Thunder narrowed his stare, watching as the figure emptied out the bag along the ground, his knives and daggers scattering across the forest floor.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What the-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Impressive right?” the guy said, a cocky smirk on his lips.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Anyways, the name’s Pike. Legendary thief, the best in the entire kingdom.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Thunder scoffed, rolling his eyes. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Look, I don’t have time for this. Just give me back my weapons and we can be on our merry way,” Thunder huffed, taking a step forward closer to Pike.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hm… That doesn’t really sound fun to me Mr Grumpy Pants but I’ll consider it.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He was treading on thin ice. Thunder wasn’t in the mood for a fight, wasting his energy on something as pointless as an annoying thief, but his patience was running low. Another step forward. He mapped out possible attacks, angles of which would give him the upper hand for just the right amount of time so he could grab his stuff and leave. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Thunder glanced up, meeting the guy’s impossibly blue eyes. He could see the glint of mischief glowing in the sunlight, a smirk curling on his lips as he slipped his knife into his leather belt.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m going to ask one more time,” Thunder grunted, taking an extra step forward, the two inches apart, “Give me my knives back. Now.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Pike paused, his finger playfully tapping on his chin as a smirk widened on his lips.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“How about no.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A puff of smoke surrounded them, Pike disappearing yet again. Thunder frantically turned his head around, spinning his body until he saw Pike a couple of feet away by his target tree, his bag full in his hands. Thunder grunted, glancing down at the lack of daggers across the forest floor.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>If he wants a fight. He’s getting one.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine. Have it your way.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And Thunder charged towards him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Pike cheered, slipping his bag onto his belt as Thunder clenched his fist, just reaching him before another puff of smoke escaped into the air, Thunder reaching out to nothing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You who, over here handsome,” Pike teased.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Thunder huffed, ignoring a small flush of red growing on his cheeks as he turned around and charged again. Laughter echoed around him as Pike evaded him, popping up in random spots a few feet away every time. Each puff of smoke only made Thunder more and more agitated yet more determined, studying Pike’s movements and patterns. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Somehow through their movements, the two ended up on the outskirts of the forest, the tree he was practising his aim on long gone. Thunder was hidden just behind one of the trees at the beginning of the forest while Pike stepped out into the open field, a little cottage with two garden beds that stretched out along a dirt path leading to the house just in the distance, lavenders and lillies carefully decorated amongst the green.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh my!” Pike laughed, “I never expected this to be so much fun!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh really?” Thunder smirked, peeking slightly to the side to hear for any signs of footsteps.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“For such a grumpy-pants, I thought you would be better at this,” Pike continued, scuffing his feet along the green grass, bits of dirt flying in the air.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I bet you can’t even throw a punch.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Thunder rolled his eyes, though a smirk was growing on his face. With Pike’s constant taunting and teasing it was making it very easy for Thunder to calculate how far away he was from him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Idiot.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He moved his foot slightly, correcting himself into the appropriate position to attack. Pike was tricky with his disappearing act. However, with him constantly disappearing Thunder noticed how there was a split second where he was still within the smoke before disapparating, reappearing somewhere else entirely. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But with all this, Pike still never teleported far even when he had Thunder’s stuff. A normal thief would just run off with his stuff, leaving Thunder to scrape up his coins to purchase new ones. But this guy? If that told him anything it just highlighted to Thunder how shockingly awful a thief he was and how much of an annoying pain-in-his-ass he truly could be. Why wouldn’t he just leave?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Come </span>
  <em>
    <span>oooon</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Pike whined, “It’s getting boring now.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Thunder chuckled, a smile widening as he heard a twig crunch beneath Pike’s feet. At this point, Thunder had a good idea where Pike was. All he had to now was wait for the perfect time to pounce, not too late that he would disappear in a puff of smoke but not too early that he would dodge. Attacks like these were one of Thunder’s favourites. The thrill of the hunt, encompassing his stealth and skills to overcome his opponent. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>All he needed was one more confirmation… something to solidify his position.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>One more word...</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I don't even know your name?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Got ‘em</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Thunder spun out from behind the tree and spotted Pike almost instantly, right where he predicted. Without a moment’s hesitation, he sprinted across the field, a sheer look of determination in his eyes as he narrowed his glance onto his prey. It was only seconds before Pike’s inevitable doom that he noticed Thunder charging towards him with an expression of shock appearing across his face until finally, their bodies collided, the two crashing down onto the lavender bed within the garden patch. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They tumbled, fighting for dominance until finally, Thunder managed to get the high ground, straddling Pike’s hips as he pinned his arms above his head, a devilish smirk on Thunder’s lips as he stared into Pike’s blue eyes, the two barely inches apart.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“The name’s Thunder,” he smirked as he reached for the bag, “and I think I’ll be taking these.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Pike held a look of complete shock or was it awe, Thunder couldn’t tell. Now with them being so close, he could really take the thief in, from the smallest freckles that stretched across the bridge of his nose to the growing flush appearing on his cheeks. Thunder noticed the scar that cut through his left eye, adding a sense of curiosity and mystery to the man. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Thunder was honestly… speechless.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Seconds had passed and Thunder was still in a state of childlike wonder. There was this underlying feeling, a pull that kept him here. Kept him staring at this stranger, this annoyingly cocky, attractive stranger. He felt this warm fuzzy feeling overcome him, little teasing thoughts appearing in his mind of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>what-ifs, </span>
  </em>
  <span>the futures that could come from this very moment with this very guy. Thunder gulped, scratching behind his neck as his eyes flicked from Pike’s blue eyes to his soft lips before a small smile grew on his lips.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Pike’s face shined bright red with the attention, his eyes dropping before meeting with Thunder’s again, setting the butterflies flying in his stomach again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Y-you like what you see?” Pike tried to tease but his words came out flustered, his face still glowing brightly, a small chuckle escaping Thunder’s lips at the sight.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It seems to me that you like what </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>see.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So what if I do?” Lance fired back, biting his lip as his eyes drifted away, a small strand of hair cutting across his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Thunder held his breath, his heart racing as he stared down at Pike’s beautiful face. This feeling felt so different, so foreign, but he didn’t want it to end. With the tiniest piece of confidence within in, Thunder loosened his grip on Pike’s wrists, freeing him from his grasp. Thunder paused, waiting for him to do something, run away, escape but as Pike’s eyes met with his, all he did was pull his hands to his side, staring up at him like he was waiting for something. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Thunder brought his hand to Pike’s face, tucking the strand of hair behind his ear. He could feel his body temperature rising, heart pounding against his chest as his hand resting on Pike’s jaw, their breaths mingling in front of them. His lips were just so close to his… so close that he might… he could just...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“WAIT A SECOND!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith blinked, the world fading around him, the fields of green and forest trees replaced with the unmistakable walls of the castle of lions, a tablet in his hand and the holographic map of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Monster and Mana </span>
  </em>
  <span>displayed in front on the table. Keith turned to see Lance sitting right next to him, his face glowing as red as his paladin suit with his tablet discarded beside him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What the hell was that?” Lance exclaimed, his eyes wide as he stared at Keith.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What was what!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Y-you almost kissed me,” Lance stuttered, his face glowing brighter.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“N-no I didn’t… Look, it’s not my fault okay, “ Keith stuttered, chucking the tablet on the table as he stood, the game disappearing from sight. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance followed him, throwing his hands in the air as he stood.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“How the hell is it </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> your fault?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know how to play this game!” Keith exclaimed, turning to face Lance.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well it doesn’t involve kissing me, that's for sure.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith’s face lit up bright red, a sinking feeling hitting his gut as his glance fell to the floor. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It's about quests, slaying dragons and beasts, finding treasure and gold, saving the damsel in distress, what it's not about is…” Lance paused, the frustration and confusion simmering as he bit his lip and sighed, “that.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So what if I did,” Keith mumbled underneath his breath, though, Lance heard it loud and clear, his heart stopping at his words.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith’s eyes fired back up from the ground, taking in Lance’s expression before a look of shock washed over him. He chewed on his lip, his heart racing as thoughts raked his mind. He blew it. Lance heard. Lance just heard him confess he wanted to kiss… him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith froze. He could feel the blush on his cheeks, his breath caught in his throat as he stared eyes-wide at Lance, like a deer caught in headlights, waiting for the inevitable doom that was coming. If Lance hated him before, he sure would now. It was over, done. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith gulped, soaking in the awkward silence, his entire body wanting to be anywhere but here. So taking the lack of response as rejection, Keith turned in his place, ready to flee back to his room and forget all this even happened when he felt Lance grab his wrist, turning him back around to face him. Keith raised his brow, about to question him when Lance’s lips slammed against his. Keith couldn’t move, the feeling of soft lips against his as he stood in disbelief. Lance was kissing him?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But before Keith had a slither of a chance to react, Lance leaned back, so quickly it was like they were never there.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lance’s face was ridiculously red at this point, his hands digging into his jacket pockets as he muttered, “Um.. I'll see you around.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Before Keith had a chance to respond, Lance was out of the room, leaving him stunned and lost for words.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith’s fingers brushed his lips, a small smile curling on his lips as he stared at the door. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe he didn’t ruin things after all.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keith smiled, turning to have a last glance at the very game that started it all before he headed out of the room, thoughts of ocean blue eyes and caramel skin on his mind.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe he had a chance.</span>
  </em>
</p>
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